The night was quiet, the kind of stillness that seemed sacred. Crickets sang in the distance, and the pale silver glow of the full moon spread across the landscape, painting everything in soft light. Winter and Deborah sat side by side on a wide rock outside the base, their legs dangling into the cool night air. Neither spoke for a while, letting the silence fill the space between them.
"Can I come with you?" Deborah finally asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper, as though afraid the night itself might carry her words away.
Winter turned her face toward her. The moonlight caught in her eyes, sharp and steady, yet shadowed with something deeper. "You don't have to," she replied gently. "You can help me from here. I'll need someone on this side more than you think."
Deborah frowned, fingers picking nervously at the hem of her sleeve. "For how long will you be gone?"
Winter hugged Uncle Giggles closer to her chest, as if drawing strength from it. "Until I've cleared my parents' name," she said, her tone resolute, as though every syllable was a vow carved into stone.
Deborah looked at her friend, struggling to smile. It came out forced, trembling at the edges. Winter noticed, so she reached out and took Deborah's hand, holding it firmly. Her palm was warm, steady, grounding.
"I'll always keep in touch," Winter promised, her voice low but full of conviction. "Trust me."
Deborah nodded, though her heart was heavy. They stayed like that in silence, their hands clasped together as the night stretched on. Eventually, Deborah's head began to tilt, her eyelids fluttering shut until she was dozing lightly against Winter's shoulder.
Winter sat awake long after, staring at the moon. Thoughts churned in her mind like a restless storm. The military database wasn't just another system, it was the heart of Anglora's power, fortified with firewalls and traps designed to chew intruders alive. If it were easy, Anglora wouldn't be one of the strongest nations in the world.
But she didn't care.
For her parents, for the truth, she was ready. Ready to put her life on the line.
She lay down later that night, Uncle Giggles tucked in her arms, but sleep did not come easily. Every path she saw ahead was dark, dangerous, and uncertain. And yet, beneath all the fear and exhaustion, one thought kept her steady:
My parents are heros and I would not stop until I have proven that.